Course
Unit 8 · Elementary
Telling the time
Read the clock the Nepali way: ask the time, give the hour with baje, and pin things to the morning or evening.
In this unit you'll learn to
- Ask the time with kati bajyo
- Say the hour with [number] bajyo
- Use baje for "at … o'clock"
- Use parts of the day: bihaana, belukaa
Listen along
Time, days, and the clock (lesson 8)
Public-domain audio — FSI Nepali Basic Course (via Live Lingua).
What time does the bus leave?
Tourist
बस कति बजे जान्छ?
Bas kati baje jaanchha?
What time does the bus leave?
Clerk
सात बजे।
Saat baje.
At seven o'clock.
Tourist
अहिले कति बज्यो?
Ahile kati bajyo?
What time is it now?
Clerk
छ बज्यो।
Chha bajyo.
It's six o'clock.
Tourist
त्यसो भए एक घण्टा छ।
Tyaso bhae ek ghantaa chha.
Then there's one hour.
Vocabulary
- समय samay
- time
- बजे baje
- o'clock (at … o'clock)
- बज्यो bajyo
- it struck (it's … o'clock)
- घण्टा ghantaa
- hour
- मिनेट minet
- minute
- अहिले ahile
- now
- बिहान bihaana
- morning
- दिउँसो diunso
- midday / afternoon
- बेलुका belukaa
- evening
- राति raati
- at night
Grammar
"What time is it?"
Ask Kati bajyo? — literally "how-much struck?". Answer with a number + bajyo: Chha bajyo ("it's six"), Das bajyo ("it's ten").
"At … o'clock" with baje
To do something at a time, use baje: Kati baje? ("at what time?"), Saat baje ("at seven"). Bas saat baje jaanchha = "The bus leaves at seven." Note bajyo tells the current time; baje sets an appointment.
Parts of the day
bihaana (morning), diunso (midday), belukaa (evening), raati (night) go in front of the time: bihaana saat baje = "at 7 in the morning", belukaa chha baje = "at 6 in the evening".
Practice
1. Ask "What time is it now?"
Show answer
अहिले कति बज्यो? (Ahile kati bajyo?)
2. Say "It's nine o'clock."
Show answer
नौ बज्यो। (Nau bajyo.)
3. Ask "What time does the bus leave?"
Show answer
बस कति बजे जान्छ? (Bas kati baje jaanchha?)
4. Say "at 7 in the morning".
Show answer
बिहान सात बजे (bihaana saat baje).